Saturday, May 13, 2006

Good but not good enough?

Yeo Chin Hooi picture scored 15 A1s. He has also an A2 for English and a B3 for English for science and technology.

15 A1s – Jeez, that’s a fantastic record in any language. And his parents are only a lorry driver and a factory worker, so obviously his ability to proceed on further studies would be financially limited. And bear in mind that despite his family financial situation, he did exceptionally well in his studies.

He likes to get into medical school but despite his outstanding achievements, he did not secure a scholarship from the Public Service Department (PSD). PSD has handed out 1300 government scholarships to young Malaysians to study in foreign universities, yet it couldn’t see in this young laddie’s achievement to award him one?

Yeo then applied for a Bank Negara scholarship but was also rejected. Maybe the PSD and Bank Negara didn't see in his academic achievements as being sufficient grounds.

Young Yeo reflected: "I don’t really know what to do next. My heart is set on becoming a doctor, and I have worked hard for the last two years to achieve this goal."

Needless to say, his parents were also deeply disappointed, and so were his teachers.

One teacher said Yeo deserved a scholarship because he was from a poor family and had studied hard. I tend to agree on the grounds that he came from a deprived background. Another teacher argued his results outshone those of the students named as the country’s top two.

Pity there’s no philanthropist as in the old days who would help this deserving student.

Meanwhile over at Kwan Inn Teng temple in Petaling Jaya, in conjunction with Wesak Day, the temple foundation gave scholarship aid to, among others, 5 Malay students.

Murul Husna & Rev Meng Ji

Nurul Husna Sharip, 22, Nur Liyana Abd Latif, 20, Marreta Abdul Hamid Curativo, 23, Lilimaria Mokhtar, 24, and Lili Nur Fazlinda Mokhtar, 21, who are from various local universities, received RM1,000 each.

Temple spokesman Ann Tay said the recipients, all students from secondary schools and universities, were selected based on their family background first, then their academic qualifications.

She said: “We were very strict in selection, as some students have to work part-time to pay for their studies as their families are so poor.”

In other words, the temple awarded scholarships generally to the needy. Hmmm, sounds logical.

Marreta, who is from Sabah and studies Maths in UiTM, Shah Alam, said she was very happy to receive the cash gift. She said: “It was definitely unexpected. This is what multi-racial Malaysia is all about.”

Marreta pledged to return the gesture by donating to the temple once she graduates and starts work. Good on you, sweetheart!

photo credits from New Straits Times & Star Online respectively

4 comments:

  1. Yeo Chin Hooi, go to Singapore. The Singaporean government will help you. Study and build your life there. Always remember, the so-called 'Bumis' refuse to help you because they are too stupid and afraid to compete. Never forget.

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  2. Anonymous, I know how you feel for this bloke, because I feel for him too, and I applaud your suggestion for him to get a Singapore 'ASEAN' scholarship. But please let's not in the process sweep everyone (Bumis) down with a long bamboo - it's just some officials who are playing the 'silly' game of discrimination.

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  3. If Yeo Chin Hooi's case had been just one incident of 'silly' discrimination among a few isolated incident, it would certainly be fair to say that it is just the work ofd some officials.
    But the poor chap's case is only one among many which occurs without fail every year. Imagine being rejected by both the PSD and Bank Negara. It does not take a genius to see that the discrimination is wholesale and systematic in nature. Like I said the so-called Bumis are too afraid and stupid to compete, so they put up barriers to make others who are more capable than them in the hope that these barriers will make so-called 'non-Bumis' more stupid than them.

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  4. Well said anonymous. And may I add, those officials would not have dared to do this if they did not have the approval of the Bumis. Wake up ktemoc.

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